It is the moment of truth this weekend for Portugal in their 2011 FIVB World League journey

Porto, Portugal, June 22, 2011 – Portugal and Serbia arrive this weekend at the decisive moment in their 2011 FIVB World League campaigns, with Saturday and Sunday matches against one another at the Pavilhao Desportivo Municipal da Povoa de Varzim in Porto.

While the outcome of the two games will be crucial to the hopes of both teams, they will be even more important to coach Juan Diaz’s Portuguese team who cannot afford to drop any more points in the race for second place in Pool C and a place in the Final Round from 6 to 10 July in Gdansk-Sopot, Poland.

First place in the pool is more or less assured for Argentina – Serbia can dream of overtaking them, but for that to happen Serbia would have to beat Argentina twice at home on the final weekend, hope that Argentina lose both matches against Finland this weekend, and they would have to start by winning both of these matches against Portugal. In Serbia two weeks ago the two teams took one victory apiece, Portugal by 3-2 and Serbia by 3-0.

In such a competitive group home victories have been decisive and, as a consequence, the public will play an important part in raising the Portuguese team’s spirits. After a difficult journey to Argentina that lasted over 90 hours, followed by losing both matches, Portugal are desperate to make amends and two wins over Serbia would constitute an excellent reward for their fans.